


A Moment in Time

by 8Eterna8



Series: Dimitri x Bylass Appreciation/FE3H Request TED Talks [1]
Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/M, Spoilers, spoilers after chapter 9
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-29
Updated: 2019-07-29
Packaged: 2020-07-25 13:49:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20026834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/8Eterna8/pseuds/8Eterna8
Summary: Takes place a few months after the 5 year time skip. Also mentions events after chapter 9. I might make more in the future! For now I welcome you to my Dimitri TED Talk.Byleth needs a moment to herself, to pick up the broken pieces that wound her. Now if only she can do the same for the man she loves, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd.Well as Sothis once said, she was always reckless with her decisions. And without the goddess to lecture her, she decided to let her actions speak louder than words to the man who's language was violence.





	A Moment in Time

Amongst the rubble, Byleth took a careful step forward. Her metal boots supporting her as she finished ascending the unstable hill. None of her students attempted to climb up here, so she took advantage of this spot to reflect.

For if she didn't, Byleth feels as though her emotions would pour out of her like a heavy stream. 

Her blank gaze wandered over the current state of Garreg Mach monastery. When her gaze came across a familiar row of tombstones illuminated by the moonlight, she clenched her fists as frustration welled inside of her.

_ This was all her fault _…

** _He_ ** _ would still be here today if only she… if only…. _

She should have known something was off about Monica.

The permanent smile on her face, to the way she carried herself. Byleth should have _ known _ that she was an assassin.

But alas, she forgot her father's number one rule. She allowed her awareness to dull during her time at the monastery.

And because of her negligence, her father paid the ultimate price.

_ He would be a better leader for the Knights of Seiros, not her. She may be his child, but she could _ ** _never_ ** _ best him. _

No matter how many times she willed for time to go backwards, the result was always the same. Her Father was fated to take his last breath in her arms. The truth of that still makes it hard for her to breathe. She didn't _ want _ to accept it.

For a moment, she almost directed her unadulterated anger towards Sothis. Although, as soon as that thought came, Byleth's rational side reminded her that even divine intervention has its limits.

** _She_ ** _ would still be here if she didn't let her emotions get the best of her. _

Afterall, Sothis too had left her behind as well. The merging of their souls left her inner thoughts empty once again. No longer could she listen to the goddess quietly snore as she sat atop her throne. Or hum at her mindless commentary whenever a student asked for her opinion on "trivial matters" as she once said.

_ Leaving Byleth with more questions than answers and a sinking hole of loneliness _.

Her Father who was practically glued to her side for 20 years of her life was suddenly torn away from her.

The man she always looked to for answers to situations she couldn't solve. The man who almost lost his head the first time he lent her a blade.

Her dearest father…

The goddess who tried to keep her disciplined. The divine being who was her mental alarm clock in the morning and the one who helped her construct individual lesson plans deep into the night. 

The slight grimace on her face deepened when her thoughts switched over to the state of her class. Her brow furrowed and she bit the inside of her lip. 

Her heart warmed at the thought of her students keeping their promise to meet here. She felt an odd sense of relief that at least they haven't forgotten her. 

Byleth raised a hand to place it over the top of her chest. Despite not having a heartbeat, she could still feel the emotional aches and pains.

To see their hearts hardened from enduring the war, something she never wanted to see. As a mercenary, she was used to taking one life after another. With each slice of her blade, her mind always raced at the thought of ruining another household.

To watch someone's life drain from their eyes always haunts her. She may have learned to silence those thoughts as the years went by, but it never stopped them from penetrating the wall in her times of weakness. 

_ Maybe the constant misfortune was revenge for all the lives she's stolen… _

_ That same fate will catch up to her one day as well. _

No!

Byleth shook her head forcefully as if that would help to rid her mind of bad thoughts. She has to keep herself together at a time like this. Her students, the church, the Kingdom, and the Alliance all look to her in order to liberate them. 

She could only hope that nights like these are short and few. She needed to stop thinking about her _ losses _. The people of Fódlan have suffered more than she ever had.

Especially the Crowned Prince of Faerghus. Thinking back to the day they met again, those cold desolate eyes chilled her to the bone.

It was as though the happiness he showed all those years ago was brutally ripped from him. Leaving his inner beast bare and ready to strike at _ anyone _that crosses him. 

Byleth felt as though she had to tread carefully with him. One wrong step and even she might face his insatiable wrath. 

The hole she was slowly digging herself into became deeper as guilt flooded through her veins. 

Her skin tingles as her mind constantly tries to find a solution to save him. What kind of teacher would she be if she couldn't help him? 

The boy who was the first to show her kindness. The one who carefully beckoned her away from isolation after the loss of her father with kind words and warm smiles. 

Byleth was sure that even her father wouldn't have an answer to her dilemma.

Thin layers of clouds shrouded the moonlight from her view. Byleth raked a hand through her hair thoughtfully as the wind began to pick up. 

She almost didn't hear the heavy clanking noise of metal boots climbing the unstable rubble. Without turning around, she already knew who would be reckless enough to follow her up here.

Even when she heard his breathing as he stood directly behind her, she made no movement to turn around. Her mind constantly reminding her to tread carefully. 

"You're supposed to be sleeping now, Dimitri." Byleth quietly chided as she looked over towards the bustling market. They especially thrive during this time.

"Don't waste your fruitless scoldings on me, _ Professor _. This body of mine does not succumb to sleep like everyone else." The blonde growled, the reverberation making her shift closer towards the edge. At least if she were to fall, the fall down wouldn't put her in another 5 year coma.

She would just have to suffer with the phantom of Sothis complaining about her choices.

"I see, then why are you here? Do you need something from me?" She asked as she tried to turn around to face him properly.

A gloved hand instantly shot out in the darkness of night, keeping her in place. The feeling of his warm hand made her stand still as she quickly reminded herself about his abnormal strength.

"You have no need to face me, Professor." His voice sounded oddly strange to her, but she nodded anyways. 

"I will say this once and once only." His grip on her left shoulder tightened slightly and she could feel the armor pad caving from the force.

"The Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd you bonded with all those years ago was nothing but a facade." He began, taking a short breath before he continued.

"Felix was absolutely right, I'm nothing but a monster. One that crushes the strong in order to save the weak. Even if the world despises me, I will make sure that inevitable cycle is broken."

"Even if I meet my end, she **will pay** for her crimes. I will have her head served on a silver platter."

Dimitri let out a dark chuckle, his eye glaring at the figure in front of him. But he was so _ lost _ in his own sea of vengeance that he didn't realize it. Nor did he hear the creaking of her shoulder pad.

"Stop looking at me with eyes filled with pity and regret, I won't let you or anyone stop me from my destiny." By now, the edges of her armor was digging into her clothes. If he pressed any harder, the metal could injure his hand. 

"I don't care about rekindling bonds with you or the others. All of you are just pieces necessary to win this war, nothing more and nothing less. So _ stop _ treating me as though I'm your comrade. _ Stop _ taking hits for me, _ stop _ healing me when I am at my limit. A dog like me doesn't deserve it."

The man grew silent so she decided to take it upon herself and do something reckless.

"Dimitri…" She whispered, knowing that he heard her because his breath hitched. She took a deep breath to steel her nerves before she spoke.

"No matter what you say, I will always support you as will everyone else. And that guilt I may feel is from feeling like I failed you as an instructor. If I hadn't fallen off that cliff that day, I could've stopped her." Byleth lightly placed her bare hand on top on his own, squeezing it lightly. 

"I don't care how long it takes, I will do anything to help you until I draw my last breath. You were the one all those years ago who told me that you'd die for me." Byleth carefully lifted his hand away from her shoulder plate and gently caressed the top of it as she finally turned to face him. Her facial expression was one of pure adoration before it quickly returned to her neutral expression.

"You have no idea how much I long to go back in time, where things were simpler. Where I could watch you bond with your classmates as you all worked hard to achieve your goals."

She was about to continue when that same hand she once held quickly yanked out of her own. 

Only to latch itself onto her throat. 

Byleth could only stare up at the seething male with mild amusement. Her mind immediately remembering that time in the Holy Tomb.

"_ Stop talking! You don't understand a _ ** _damned_ ** _ thing. My compassion for my comrades died all those years ago with the weaker version of myself. _" Dimitri growled once more, although this time it was more guttral. The unfocused look in his eyes made Byleth's heartache and she knew what had to be done in this moment. 

"Ah… is that so? Then I'm sure you wouldn't mind finishing this then?" She murmured, her nonplussed expression practically goading him on. Byleth reached up with both hands and squeezed his hand tighter.

_ She would get her point across _.

"Like you, I have ended many lives, and ruined countless of families as well. Most of which, didn't take a single shred of doubt. So if I am nothing but an enemy to you now, it should be easy to crush my throat just like this. This would be the simplest form of atonement."

"So do as you said, trample the strong." Byleth baited him more, only for the man to raise her into the air. Her feet barely able to touch the ground.

His grip _ did _ tighten for a moment his dark eye staring directly into her own to test the sincerity of her words. It stayed like this for a short while, neither of them moving an inch as the wind continued to howl. 

Eventually, Dimitri let out a heavy sigh before he slowly returned her to the ground. With his hand free, he reached up to his face and groaned into his hand.

"You are an insufferable woman. I don't see what you still find _ enjoyable _ in me. I'm just a hollow shell of the man you once knew." Dimitri looked down at the grovel, his usual grimace returned to his face. 

A small smile managed to worm its way onto her face as she watched him grovel in defeat. The battle of wills casting her as the winner.

"I know that deep down you still care, Dimitri. I'm the last person you can deceive." Byleth reached out to gently caress the side of this face and push the sides of his hair out of his face. 

For a moment, the man enjoyed the careful touch. It was when her dainty fingers grazed the corner of his eyepatch that he tensed back up. When her thumb accidentally brushed against it once more, Dimitri wrenched her hand away from him and pushed her backwards.

Without a wall to support her, Byleth could only stare in mild surprise as she fell once again. The wind roared behind her as she made her descent, not even her faith magic can lighten the impact. 

She closed her eyes to brace herself for crashing to the ground, only for a desperate shout to make her open her eyes. 

Taking note that she was still in the air, Byleth looked up to see Dimitri staring down at her with a mixture of fear and something she couldn't describe.

"Hold on, I'm pulling you up now!" The man shouts and pulls her up to the edge of the rubble with ease. She helped herself to stand as he shuffled away from her, giving her enough room to catch her bearings.

After dusting herself off from imaginary dust, she looked over at Dimitri who was hunched over breathing deeply. 

"I-I apologize, Professor. Even now I still can't control my strength around you. I really am a lost cause." Ah there it was, this was something the old Dimitri would say.

For some reason, watching his face stiffen from panic reminded her of the times when he tried hiding broken dishes from her after dinner. Although the situation was entirely different, her cheeks warmed anyways. 

She loved how no matter what impurities tried to corrupt him, the innermost core will always remain pure. Even if he tried to resist it, he truly has a heart of gold. 

"Thank you Dimitri." She uttered as she watched him look at her with a look of disbelief. She could practically hear him thinking, "I nearly killed her and here she is, thanking me?!"

So in order to silence his thoughts she took careful steps towards him until she was looking up at him. Her blank gaze somehow managed to calm him. 

"If you didn't see me as your comrade, you would have simply watched me plummet to my death and yet, you didn't. That speaks volumes for me." She whispered and Dimitri couldn't help but notice how her green gaze was illuminated by the moon. 

That same prideful expression that she gave him all those years ago made a flush rise to his face. Even after all this time, her beauty practically stunned him if he stared for too long. 

"Professor…" Ah, those days where he was nothing but a boy with wishful thinking. Why must he try so hard to evade the woman he loves? He's lived 5 years mourning over his Professor, he even created a mental image to help him through his escape from Faerghus.

When he was young, his Father used to tell him stories of when he fell in love with his stepmother. To see him gaze down at her with such fondness was something Dimitri always enjoyed seeing. That love made them stronger together and yet…

_ Dimitri couldn't help but wonder. _

Without saying another word, the man succumbed to his suppressed emotions and wrapped his arms loosely around her waist. 

For a second, the man hesitated. He was afraid to draw her closer, as if the intimate gesture would scare her away. 

But all reason left his mind when she pressed her forehead into the fur of his cloak. He wrapped his arms tighter around her waist and drew her to him. Dimitri buried his nose into the crown of her hair, taking in the light scent of lavender and oak.

Even amongst the harsh smell of rodents festering in the area, he could always tell when she's been nearby. She was the beacon in his darkest hours, she was the one he always longed for.

"I'm here…" She whispered back as she wrapped her arms around his bulky armor. That sentence alone made him hold onto her tighter. His mind fearing that this was all some sick fantasy after days of not sleeping properly.

His shoulders shook slightly, a dry heave silencing his cry. With his right hand, he raised her bangs and pressed a light kiss to her forehead. Byleth let out a tiny gasp at the action, one that only her Father did when she was a little girl. 

The emotional turmoil he felt halted from that alond. For just this moment, their ideals didn't matter, nor their chosen destinies. His insistent desire to avenge his family for once, was nothing but a mere whisper as he held her in his arms.

Byleth stood there in his arms for goddess knows how long. It was until he started heavily weighing on her that she decided to pull away to check on him. 

Only to find that… he somehow fell asleep standing up? In all of Byleth's days, she never witnessed someone sleep like this. He was even snoring? 

From the way how his brows furrowed and his mouth moved into a permanent scowl, she felt even more amused. 

Trying to be as gentle as possible, she gently shifted him around until she was sitting down with his head in her lap. How he didn't wake up once honestly amazed her. Byleth let out a long sigh, she couldn't tell if she was relieved that he was resting or worried that this somehow happened.

At least this gave her a couple of hours to properly examine his face after all this time. She raised her free hand and carefully dragged her fingers along his cheeks.

His expression turned into one of discomfort as he tried to swat her hand away in his sleep. Okay, so if his face was a no touching zone, what about his hair?

She'd always been so curious about those noodle-like strands from 5 years ago. Now his hair was a puffy lion's mane, but that didn't stop her curiosity.

She took her index finger and dragged it through his thick hair. Her mouth open in awe as her entire hand was now massaging his head. It didn't seem to disturb his rest either, he looks like he's enjoying it.

"Sleep well, Dimitri…" Byleth brushed his bangs to the side carefully and leaned over to pressed her lips carefully against his own forehead. The minute her lips made contact, Dimitri's face relaxed and he turned himself over to rest on his left side. With more access to the back of his hair, she gently caressed his tufts of hair while she gazed at the horizon.

She may not know where their fates would lead them, but she did know that for right now, she would take advantage of this serene moment. Even though she could feel the debris digging into her stockings, potentially leaving bruises in their wake. 


End file.
